I ran the first full “Test” game last night using my own Zombie rules. All told it went really well!
I just kept back helping with any rules questions (which were surprisingly few!!!) and let two friends, “Fritzy” and Phill, have a go. Fritzy had read through the rules and Phill was given a quick run through the basics just before the game.
The 5”X3” table was set with a few buildings, with three locations being nominated as “Spawn” points: The hospital, The Movie Theatre and some wasteland behind the Bike Repair Store.
Fritzy was running a biker gang consisting of a leader carrying a SMG and a bike chain, a ganger carrying a shotgun and knuckle dusters and a ganger carrying a SMG and a wearing a leather jacket.
Phill was running a group of priests consisting of a leader armed with a heavy pistol and an improvised weapon ( a large Bible!), a priest with a shotgun and dagger and a priest with a SMG and a dagger.
The scenario was very basic. Another biker was at one end of the table attempting to start a vehicle. He had contacted the group ( this was a combined effort not a one on one fight so the teams worked together) telling them that he had found a working vehicle to escape in. The objective was to get to it!
The initial number of Zombies was rolled for giving a whopping 24! They were split between the spawn points and moved randomly away from them. The scene was set!
Because Fritzy and Phill were working together it didn’t matter who went first. Zombies always move/act last. They set up within 4” of there table edge and Phill moved first.
Phill’s Priests moved up the main street and although there were Zeds in weapon range they refrained from firing ( Firing attracts zombies already deployed and also increases the chance that Zombies will spawn)
Fritzy’s bikers moved left taking the next street over, which was devoid of Zombies, breaking into a run to cover as much distance as possible. He located an item marker just behind the Gun Shop which turned out to be a weapon reload.
Players’ turn over it was time for the Zombies to move. As there were no survivors with detection range of the any of the zombies they moved randomly. Two groups remained still and the ones nearest the Hospital shambled 4” towards the objective!!!
Zombie spawning was rolled for each spawn point. Because no shots had been fired and no survivor was close to any spawn point the rolls were unmodified. However the bit of waste ground managed to spawn another 3 Zombies!
Phill decided that it was time to try out the ranged fire rules and opened up on a group of zombies with his shot gun. His shot was missed, but was made up for when his leader took one down with his heavy pistol. He fired a volley with his SMG, knocking a Zombie flat (but not out) and taking another out. He moved towards Fritzy’s position.
The bikers moved up an alley between the Bike Repair Shop and an office block and opened up on the zombies on the waste ground. 4 zombies disappeared in a hail of lead.
The Zombies at the Movie Theatre moved towards the Priests (not quite into contact) and the ones on the wasteland moved towards the bikers blocking off the Priests’ retreat! The ones outside the Hospital shambled 1” (not within detection distance of anyone!).
Spawning was rolled for and surprisingly , despite the amount of fire and the proximity of the Bikers and Priests to Spawn points, no further Zombies appeared!
Phill decided to move his Priests past the Movie Theatre, taking out as many Zombies as possible to clear a path. Unfortunately, the only one to take anyone down was his leader with his heavy pistol! This left one of his Priests within range of the Zombies!
The bikers moved forward, the two gangers taking out 3 Zombies ( and knocking down 1) with a barrage of SMG and shotgun fire.
The Biker Leader coolly decided to “Burn The Clip” on his SMG at the group of approaching flesh eaters. An amazing 7 Zombies went down under the hail of fire!!!! He used his next action to re-load and followed after the gangers.
The Zombies at the Movie Theatre closed in on one of the Priests and despite being outnumbered he was wounded but still standing. The zombies at the Hospital caught wind of the bikers and approached, the zombies from the wasteland heading in behind the Priests totally cutting them off!
The amount of activity certainly attracted attention: 10 zombies spawned from the waste land, including a “special” in the form of a Zombie Dog!!!! A further 4 spawned next to the Movie Theatre and 1 from the Hospital!!!
The Priests were in trouble! The leader opened up with his pistol knocking a Zombie down and charged into the group who were attacking his wounded comrade. The other Priest ran in and dispatched the already knocked down zombie. The leader dispatched one with a blow from his improvised weapon (Bible!)
The Bikers split their fire, the two gangers taking out one of the Zombies near the Hospital, the Leader emptying another clip into the newly spawned Zombies and Zombie dog. The dog and 4 rot-piles disappeared in a spray of lead, a further 2 being knocked down! The Biker Leader them moved up to another ganger taking the “re-load” she had found earlier.
The Zombies fighting the Priest hit hard! The already wounded Priest was KO’d and the Leader received a wound but was still standing. The remaining zombies crowding in , sensing the kill!
Due to an oversight (misjudged distance) a Zombie attacked the Biker Leader but failed to wound him.
Luckily no Zombies were spawned.
The Leader of the Priests managed fell another Zombie in close combat and moved away towards the objective, the remaining priest taking down 2 zombies with his Shot Gun.
The Biker Leader easily dispatched the Zombie in close combat with his bike chain and moved with his comrades to the objective!!!
The Zombies closed in on the stricken Priest ready to eat him on their next turn!
The zombies from the Hospital and the Waste Land closed in on the Bikers.
Another 3 Zombies Spawned at the Theatre, obviously sensing the dying Priest.
It was at this point that Phill decided that although he could reach the objective and finish the game, it was not in “Character” to leave a fellow Priest behind . He moved his Leader and the other Priest back towards his stricken comrade! He opened up with his pistol, missing twice! The other Priest dropped a Zombie with a well placed shotgun round. They then moved between their KO’d comrade and the approaching hoard to shield him!
The Horde Approaches!
The Men of God shield there fallen comrade!
Fritzy, rather bemused by Phill’s actions, opened up on the Zombies at the Hospital taking down 2 and then moved to give the Priest support on the next round.
The End is Near ( The objective is just behind that bus!!)
The Zombies attacked!
The battle ended as you might expect……… his comrades now dead, the dying leader of the Priests shouted for the bikers to finish him off! Fritzy obliged, his Biker leader emptying his SMG into the horde, taking the man of God with them!
The Martyrdom of Father Brunswick
I actually upset Phill a little, by picking up each priest as they were taken out, raising them towards the living room light and saying “ Into the light……..go into the light!”
All told it ran pretty well. A few points were raised, namely carrying wounded and whether First Aid is the function of an item or can be administered by a character.
Any how, I’m just drawing up the Zombie deployment rules. As soon as I’m done I’ll see about posting a Beta Version of the Rules.
Regards
PM